Reciprocating cylinder engine



Sept, 27, 949. w, H. cooK RECIPROCATING CYLINDER ENGINE 2 Sheets-Sheet; 1

Filed Dec. 31, 1946 p 1949- w. H. cooK 2,482,967

RECIP ROQATING CYLINDER ENGINE Filed Dec. 31, 1946- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 27, 1949 UNIT-ED sTATE-s PATENT OFF-ICE RECIPROCA-TING CYLINDER' ENGIN'E William H. Cook, Toledo, one i Application December 31, 1946; SerialNo. TI9,51'8' .1} 6' Claims. (01.. ,1'2s.50

invention relates to'compact power unit'of' the'reciprocating cylinder engine.

This invention has utility when incorporated: in a -piston and cylinder type-of :gas engine; wherein theeXhaus-t take-off is in connection with cylinder cooling intakeedra'ft. 7

Referring tothe' drawings:

vFig. 1 isa plan view, with par-ts'broken' away, of anwembodiment ofthe invention in an opposed pair of explosion chamber elements in a tWo cycle gas engine:-powerunit;

Fig. 2isa fragmentaryxsideview of a single cylinder two cycieizgas engin'eapo-wer unit, of the general chara'cteristi'cs of the unit'of Fig. 1;

'Fig. 3 is asectionalviewi on the line III-e-III, Fig. 1", lookingin-th'e directi'oriaof .th'e arrow', and showing the intake for the'f-uel and air combustion mixture;

,Figf. 4'is a-i pa-rtial' section'orfthe 1ine I-V-=I-V, 3; shdw-ing lubricati-ng oil su ply in cbhjunc tion with thefuel'a and-air combustion mixture intake: 7 i

Fig. 5 is" a single? explosion: chamben-enibodi fn'ent of thelpowerzufiit wherein the -externally ribbed explosion chamber-travel less -thanvthe power-stroke; the'showing heing'irrpian Fig; 6 is a side elevation partly in s'eotion',-.of the unit'of-Fig; 5iwith the c'oaeting parts air-com pressio'n or firing position;

Fi'gq'lis a-frag'mentary detaii dn the line-z -I== vII,'Fig. 5; showing the 'esplesion chamber shift--- ingsprings; and L Fig. 8 is a detail sectional v'ievV omtheliheWIII- Fig." 6;" showing the stag'gered-pbfis of the explosion chamber etit'ern'a'l r ibs -for air=cooling the motor; 1 I

A driven shaft' l (Fig, 1') firotruues' from a housing 2. Fixed an the sh'aft l -i'sa magnetoi havingignitiohc'ohtrol connections to sriatk pluiis v 4: At \openside sof theheusifig 2 1s aflange o'r partition carrying a" g'iiide' sleev-"and external bearingelefiient 1i- C'on'nectdt the" housing! thru the partition ii'by' assembly li'oltsfl' is a lionsi'ng extension 9 having an open eiitf In; inwardly from which extends an internal hearing" or guide I concentric '"Wifih thf elrheiit T, but ariia'lly Outward? tli eifi'dlfi; The cylihdiibal bear ing" H; at its-innertefn'iinus h'as' a closure or 'head ltwith a centraiopening l'a therein t'o' mount the spark 'plug 4;

The sli'aft- I? Kay-apaiiof crank :arins 'li connected by" a crank pin 15 extendin thru' a yok'e slbt' lfi o'f a-yoke I 1 a, rad ial diictibif-frbm the Shaft"! i'ri the'fidufsing 2 thefidk'WT-ha'S a'roii 1'8 to ahead ifif from'vvhich extends an explosion chamber wall' 20"- recipro'cable-as directed by the guidebearin'gsT; I l.

A carburetor zlmaybe mounte'd'on" a-fixture 2-2 at the housing 2 in providing an air and fuel combustion-mixture. A libriitally clOSd 'chebk valve '23 may connect combustion mixture supply trom-,the-.-carburetor;2I th-ru the fixture 22 into at; precompression chamber 24- in .the' housing 2; The chamber itimthe-housing 2 issbetween t-h'e par-.titiomzB and a housing wall-25 having a pack-' ing=guide 26 1foritherrodl'8. There is-conversion of reciprocationof the rod' l-8 into rotation of the shafit l Outwardmovementof the rod l 8'moves the headwls-intonthehearing 1- away fromthe chamber 24. This travel of:the head [9: away from-- thechamberlt 1 tends? to develop a pressure drop! or suction: in the chamber 2-4" to unseat the valvefli-and draw in a supply ofcomhust-ion mixture. This flue intake interval may-take place for-the full' outstroke of the head 'l9 toward the head 'l-L Upon the reverse, or inward travel of the head l-9= away: from the head l 2,-fuel compression develops ,i-ri therch-amberffl'; and-the valve 23- is seated to hold this fuel charge. Advantage is taken in thisgdisclosure 'for providing aprecompression volume in excess of the spilltherefrom into-the explosion orcorribustion chamber.

The-precbmpressed fuel-:charge-in'the chamber 24=; upfon the reciprocable'means' reaching itsinwardstroke limit-'has-thirod I fi draw the head It tohave radiaixnorts or? annular series ofslotsfll in thasleve" methberlvreg-ister with annular series of slotsZBT'in the viail=20 Accordingly; this is in= takeeportnperatidn: to; charge combustion chamber'29 Within the'wall' ZO'betWeen 'the heads 19,- I2; with combustion mixture:-

The pre'compression'ofi th'einiixedfuel'an'd airin the'chan'lber'2'4; as eniferingthe chamber ZS-is neripherar in its extent. At this position for the wau rn; vvh'icli still has a sli'ght 'o'verha'ng Onth'e relatively fixd trunk pistiori-like elem ent' l l, I2", a sb'ohdl annulariserie's of'ports or slots 3!! in the wall 20, are just clear of the head 52. Accordingly, it follows tha'ttheinrush of fresh fuel from the-chamber-QA;ds generally dispersedthruoutthe chamber 29-13012 effectivelyscavenging the previously exploded charge into exhaust chamber 31 in the;extensiomfl'outward from the partition 5 and having inner wall portions 'L- H. A constant suction exhaust pul1-3-2; is;maintainedbya fan or blower on exhaust duct 3.3: Inpractice this means that-thewarmeexplosion spentgases from the chamber?Y'intWthechamberB I, have most ready escape-:by way oi-itheduct-tt, Appropriately distributedafor approximating. uniform peripheral cooling o-f-"theizpower; unit, zare small openings or ports 34 thru the walleofgthehousing extension 9. There is .tlius: e-fiecteda --general distribution of ooolereoutside with the exhaust gases indissipatingany noxious-characteristics thereof, as well asnp'ulling 'downthe temperature of mufiier release. Under the pr-efermdpractice, the pull 32eise sumeienarw eliminate back pressure in the exhaust) "r Hovvever,the distribute-d -intake and-its cooperative distributed discharge, seem to respond for having the fuel and air combustion mixture brought to a proper temperature for eflicient ignition by the spark plug 4. The multi-port entrance and discharge to the combustion chamber serve in high speed motor operation for efficient scavenging at relatively low port velocities.

The exterior of the explosion chamber wall 29 between the ports or slots 21 intake'and 39 exhaust, has a plurality of annular grooves 35. The ribs thus formed between the grooves provide extended surface area for the explosion chamber cooling from the enveloping fresh air intake ports 34. At the compression interval for combustion charge firing, the ports 28 do not register outside of the sleeve 1. The explosion charge pressure is thus held for the return or power stroke of the unit. During this power stroke, the rib and groove exterior of the wall 29 is within the sleeve 1, or rather from exposure in the exhaust chamber 3|, telescopes into the sleeve 1. The heating up of this wall 29 is pulled down as the compression stroke following occurs in thrusting the wall 2|! back into the exhaust chamber 3|.

Instead of the two cylinder type of unit of Fig. 1, a single cylinder unit may be adopted, with a housing section 36 in lieu of the second section of the housing 2. Alignment of the head l9 and the cylinder-like element 29 therewith is promoted by a rod 31 slidable in a guide 38 of the housing 36.

The major bearing surface for the relatively reciprocable elements is the interior of the sleeve 1 as toward the exterior of the wall 29. This surface to be lubricated is exterior of the explosion chamber. A lubricant supply reservoir 39 may have a duct 40 (Fig. 4) therefrom leading to seat 4| of the valve 23. The feed or supply of this lubricant to the unit may be adjusted by a needle valve 42. 'As the valve 23 becomes unseated for combustion mixture intake, the suction thereof may draw in therewith an adjustably limited quantity of lubricating oil. The atomized fuel as a carrier is thruout the chamber 24, even as the head I9 is toward the head |2. This means that the bearing wall inward of the element 1 is exposed for receiving lubricant condensation thereon during charge compression and the intake to the precompression chamber 24. To the extent that this lubricating oil condensation be eifective, it is an additional cooling medium, coacting toward efficient motor performance.

Disk piston The cranked shaft I, l4, l5 (Fig. 5) in a housing 43 has its piston rod l8 connected to a disk piston 44 reciprocable in an explosion chamber 29 having a movable wall 45 adapted to be normally held against a fixed cylinder head 46 carried by a housing extension 41 from a precompression chamber housing section 48. The extension 41 adjacent the section 48, has an inwardly extending partition portion 49 providing a bearing 50 for a minor exterior diameter portion 5| of the wall 45. A larger diameter portion 52 of the wall 45 has guide bearing on the inner face of the housing 41.

Remote from the cylinder head 46, the wall 45, has an inwardly extending flange 53. Spaced from such end of the wall 45 is an outward flange 54, on the side thereof remote from the flange 53 having an annular series of slots or intake ports 55 just clearing the'partition 49 as inward stroke limit of the piston 44 acts thru the flange 53 to draw the wall 45 clear of the cylinder head 45. This leaves a ring exhaust clearance 56 to an exhaust chamber 51 in the housing 41 adjacent the head 46.

Against the outward flange 54 is a ring 58 against which thrust an annular series of compression helical springs 59 in the housing section 48 against partition back 60 of the section 48. These springs 59 tend to move the wall 45 to exhaust port closing position. The piston rod I8 is thru a packing guide 26 in the partition 60 in closing a precompression chamber 6| in which the springs 59 are located.

The yoke oppositely from the piston rod |8, has a piston rod 62 connected to a piston 63 in a cylinder 64 having intake check valve65 and outlet check valve 66 to a passage 61 in commu-' nication with the precompression chamber 6|. From a carburetor 2| past an intake check valve 23, mixed fuel and air supply may be drawn into the chamber 6|, at charge compressing in the cylinder 45. As firing occurs, the piston 44 moves back in its power stroke, opening the intake ports 55 as the wall 45 is moved to provide exhaust clearance 56.

The travel of the piston 44 toward the partition 60, builds up pressure in the chamber 6|. This causes the intake check valve 23 to be closed. The mixed fuel and air charge of combustion mixture has its pressure build up. This precompression building up is due to the piston 44 reducing the capacity of the chamber 6|. At the same time the piston 63 is expelling 3. volume from the cylinder 64 to pass by the outlet valve 66 back into the passage 61 and. into the chamber 6|. This mixed fuel volume in the chamber 6| is such that as the piston 44 travels sui'ficiently to strike the flange 53 to open the annular series of ports 55, there is a' complete circular inru'sh of fresh fuel mixture into the chamber 29. However, the movement of the combustion chamber wall 45 which effected opening of the ports 55 in moving them clear of the partition 49 closure therefor, shifted the wall 45 to provide the exhaust clearance 56. The complete exhaust ring opening 56 insures eflicient forthwith scavenging of the products of combustion by the fuel inrush.

The explosion chamber movable wall 45 in its exterior regions 5|, 52, has parallel grooves 35 to increase the exterior surface area in these bearing-providing face regions of this movable combustion chamber wall. Openings 34 are distributed thru the wall of the housing 41. Ribs 68 between the grooves 35, have in staggered relation therethru, ports 69 (Fig. 8). Exhaust suction upon exhaust duct 33 in its extent to a muffier from the motor unit, draws the products of combustion out of the exhaust chamber 51 in such volume that there is air replenishment thereto from the ports or openings 34 into the housing 41 to have devious course thru the staggered openings 69 in the ribs 68. By this means there is available definite air cooling of the internal combustion engine motor unit. The heat exchange in pulling down motor temperature is controlled by the exhaust removal rate and incidental thereto, the amount of proportion of the fresh incoming air thru the openings 34.

The combustion chamber sleeve member or wall 26, 45, as movable relatively to the fixed housing portion I, 49, 41, primarily has its external bearing in the region of the ports 28, 55. The ribbed portions therefrom toward the exhaust end have in their outer extent more of guide coaction. To relieve the bearing of the ribs between the grooves 35, the bearing ll centers and coacts with the interior open end of the explosion chamber wall 20. With the head not so extending into the wall 45 (Fig. 5), the ribs here between the grooves 35 have centering bearing coaction with the interior of the housing 41.

While there is eflicient distribution herein for the ignition to effect flame propagation thruout for complete combustion, the fresh air intake at the exhaust distributed discharge from the combustion chamber, has such high temperature products as might have the combustion not quite complete, as for instance the presence of carbon monoxide, vitiated. The gas of this character as it emerges thru the small or thin port areas in a peripheral stream is still at a high enough temperature to carry on burning operation. The fresh air in-drawn thru the many ports 34 is warmed to approach burning. The distribution is so extended that there is fine commingling. This brings about a presence of the oxygen of the air with the carbon monoxid of incomplete combustion, but while still at a sufficiently high degree of heat to convert this residual poisonous gas to respiration into carbon dioxid. It follows that from this step of combustion chamber wall cooling, there is an eflicient removal of noxious characteristics from the exhaust. Accordingly this motor has a much extended field for use, not requiring open air operation. Where the air circulation is sufficient to keep the carbon dioxid proportion healthfully low, the motor of this disclosure may be used indoors as stationary, or for haulage, as in mines and wide ranges of trucking about warehouses and in factory operations.

The materially widened field for industrial and general application of the gas engine as discussed is in the simple unit of few parts, light weight and compact, with a high degree of efiiciency in operation. The provision for clearing out contaminating matter from exhaust gases, is a safety or precautionary measure. The centralized ignition means 4 is a sort of focal point toward which the annular intake port means tend to converge the mixed fuel and air charge for combustion. The distributed supply is a provision contributing to uniformly mixing the delivery to the spark plug 4. The kick from the explosion builds up the pressure thruout the chamber in effecting the expansion or power stroke. With the power about spent in performing machine operation for useful work, the exhaust annular way is opened. Simultaneously, from the opposite or remote end of the explosion chamber, the precompressed charge of mixed fuel and air enters. The adjustment and timing is such that the converging cross-flows from the intakes toward the ignition means 4, provide discharge impetus for the spent gases in the chamber to follow the most short route out of the chamber in passing in a relatively thin ring wall of exhaust. The volume of intake gases is quickly brought into the chamber at a relatively low flow rate thru the intake. This flow rate is below that tending to wire-draw or materially reduce the precompression pressure. It also is at such a flow rate as not frictionally to heat or waste its energy. However, the efiicient amount of explosion heat, together with the charge compression for ignition, interact so that flame propagation develops rapidly, for minimum travel distance, due to central source of origin. This, together with the intake converging theretoward, and exhaust diverging therefrom, combine for such in-the-combustionchamber lineal flow distance shortening as to have proven a material factor in efiicient high speed motor design and operation.

In the event of over-scavenging, the distributed exhaust, incidental to its cylinder cooling function, may burn up such wasted fuel.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An internal combustion engine comprising a combustion chamber having a parallel ribbed external bearing face providing clearance between the ribs, and a complementary bearing face fixed with the housing adapted to direct combustion chamber reciprocation in the latter face crosswise of the clearance between the ribs.

2. A two cycle gas engine comprising a housing providing a bearing and a fixed head, there being a combustion chamber in the housing adjacent the fixed head, and an exhaust chamber movable in the bearing away from the fixed head thereby to provide port communication between the chambers, said exhaust chamber providing a direct jacket for the combustion chamber.

3. A two cycle gas engine housing comprising a precompression chamber section, directly therefrom an exhaust chamber section mounting a fixed partition between the otherwise adjoining chambers of the sections and providing a bearing, a head fixed with the exhaust chamber section, and a combustion chamber reciprocable in the bearing toward and from the head and coacting at a position away from the head for annular port communication between the chambers to opposite sides of the partition.

4. A gas engine comprising a peripherally multi-ported housing section for an exhaust chamber therein, an externally ribbed explosion chamber in the exhaust chamber toward the ribs of which the multi-ports are directed, and takeoff draft means from the exhaust chamber to bring in thru the multi-ports air cooling of the explosion chamber exterior and dispersion of exhaust gases to the take-off means.

5. An internal combustion chamber housing having an intake valve thereto, an explosion chamber having an external bearing and movable in the housing, and lubricant supply means for' the bearing synchronized with the intake valve.

6. Supplemental combustion means for internal combustion engine exhaust comprising a combustion chamber externally ribbed cylinder having dispersed exhaust port means directly from the chamber, and heat conductor wall means about the cylinder for oxygen-containmg fresh air to be prewarmed by the cylinder ribs and directed for distributed impingement into the dispersed exhaust.

WILLIAM H. COOK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

